“Did you think I wouldn’t come and see you off, youass?” she shrieked, hugging me tighter and tighter. “I’m going to miss you so much. You’re like my favorite person in the entire world. Okay? Okay, Georgina?”
“Okay, okay! I love you too, Vira.”
Vira climbed backward off me and kneeled there, her eyes so wide and her face so beautiful that I wanted to puther on pause, pull out a canvas and easel, and paint her picture right there in bright and beautiful oil paint, the last memory I’d have of her on By-the-Sea for who knew how long.
“Youcan’tlove Hattie M. Hipperson more than me,” she whispered.
“Elvira, don’t be ridiculous,” I said.
“Call me as soon as you get there.”
“Of course I will.”
“I’ll be sitting by the phone.”
“Even before my mother.”
“Okay,” she said, breathing deep, trying not to cry. “Don’t shoot anybody else with lightning bolts unless theyreallydeserve it.”
“I promise.”
“Oh! I brought this for you,” she said. She fished around in the folds of her coat and withdrew a small black journal, pressing it into my hands urgently. “Don’t forget me. Don’t forget anything. Write it all down.”
“Do you really think I’m going to forget you, Vira?”
She didn’t answer, but she squeezed my hands so hard they turned white. And then she kissed my cheek and helped me up and she ran down the gangway and I knew she wouldn’t look back, I knew she’d jump on her bike and peddle away as fast as she could.
And she did.
Prue was waiting for me at the top of the gangway. Shewas smiling so wide and—honestly, waseverybodyon the verge of tears?
“I wish I had a friend like that,” she said.
“You have me.”
“You’re lucky, Georgina. This whole world is yours.” And she pointed out across the island just as the gangway was lowered back onto the pier and the boat sounded two enormous horns and we pulled away from the dock.
My mother waved violently from the window of the pickup.
I waved back—
Until I couldn’t see her anymore.
And then I saw them.
Three little birds, flying recklessly over the strong ocean wind, flying right toward the boat.
Three Annabellas.
One a little bigger.
Two little babies, just testing out their wings.
Learning how to fly.
And I waved to my sister too—
Until I couldn’t see her either.
